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WIEGLENDA, G.H. 1950'S, PRIVATE PAPER, HISTORY OF MINING
IN MAIDEN AREA. COMPLIMENTS OF JERRY HANLEY 1981
Gold was discovered near the head of Warm Spring Creek during the summer of 1879 by
"Skookum Joe" Anderson, Dave Jones, and (Skookum means good in Crow Indian language).
The following winter a party of eleven including the discoverers named above, J. Frank Sage,
Charlie Bessie, F. T. "Pony" McPartlan, C. C. Snow, E. Irvine and three others was formed at
Junction City situated on the north bank of the Yellowstone River approximately 120 miles
distant and at that time a winter Rendezvous for hunters, trappers, prospectors, etc. Junction
City was then the principal gateway from the south for this portion of what was then Montana
Territory. In the latter part of January 1880 these men set out for "The New Eldorado in the
Judith Mountains" arriving there in mid-February. Deep snows obliged them to retreat to the
foothills to find feed and grass for their animals. A big chinook in late March made it possible to
return to the mountains and begin the quest for "Other Diggins". Soon most of the creeks and
gulches in the vicinity were being named and prospected for their placer gold content in the
gravels of the stream beds - few of which gave encouraging results; Alpine Gulch and tributaries
and Spotted Horse Gulch and two of its tributaries being the only exceptions. There
considerable exploration was carried on but only meager pay extracted. Thus collapsed the
fond hopes that the Judith's would rival such old camps as Virginia City (Alder Gulch), Helena
(Last Chance Gulch), Diamond City (Confederate Gulch) and others of the Upper Country as the
western part of the Territory was called by the old timers.
During the fall of 1880 and early winter of 1881 various members of the party had brought in
peculiar rock samples which they surmised was ore - there being only a few in camp that had
had any experience in quartz mining or prospecting - Messrs.' Anderson, Jones, Snow and Sage
being about the only ones. The former two having had by far the most experience - never a day
past when someone didn't bring a sample of one sort or another for them "to pass upon" ­among
the lot being some pieces of ore in which Dave Jones identified specks of a dark smoky
color that he pronounced as being Black Sulphurets of Silver - a very rich silver mineral. Also
with it were bromides and chlorides of the same metal. Some tests were made by placing
pieces of the ore in an open fire of a blacksmith forge and were sufficient to prove the presence
of silver that formed as beads on the ore due to heat generated melting the silver minerals. The
same may be and was done with gold ores altho the more common method then and yet in
many instances is to crush the ore very fine and pan. Gold is readily identified as such when
present; silver, however, is not; hence the need of first applying a melting heat to the latter in
order to gather the metal into a recognizable form. The ore above mentioned came from what
is still known as the old Florence Mine situated on the very top of the peak called by that name
- north easterly from Maiden approximately two miles. At about the same time, a Scotchman
(name forgotten) discovered a very small rich seam of gold ore on Gold Hill and located a claim
named the Maggie. One sample that he sent away for assay gave returns of nearly $75.00 per
pound or $150,000.00 per ton. This is reputed to be the first gold ore found in place in the
Judith Mountains.

WIEGLENDA, G.H. 1950’S, PRIVATE PAPER, HISTORY OF MINING
IN MAIDEN AREA. COMPLIMENTS OF JERRY HANLEY 1981
Gold was discovered near the head of Warm Spring Creek during the summer of 1879 by "Skookum Joe" Anderson, Dave Jones, and (Skookum means good in Crow Indian language). The following winter a party of eleven including the discoverers named above, J. Frank Sage, Charlie Bessie, F. T. "Pony" McPartlan, C. C. Snow, E. Irvine and three others was formed at Junction City situated on the north bank of the Yellowstone River approximately 120 miles distant and at that time a winter Rendezvous for hunters, trappers, prospectors, etc. Junction City was then the principal gateway from the south for this portion of what was then Montana Territory. In the latter part of January 1880 these men set out for “The New Eldorado in the Judith Mountains" arriving there in mid-February. Deep snows obliged them to retreat to the foothills to find feed and grass for their animals. A big chinook in late March made it possible to return to the mountains and begin the quest for "Other Diggins". Soon most of the creeks and gulches in the vicinity were being named and prospected for their placer gold content in the gravels of the stream beds - few of which gave encouraging results; Alpine Gulch and tributaries and Spotted Horse Gulch and two of its tributaries being the only exceptions. There considerable exploration was carried on but only meager pay extracted. Thus collapsed the fond hopes that the Judith’s would rival such old camps as Virginia City (Alder Gulch), Helena (Last Chance Gulch), Diamond City (Confederate Gulch) and others of the Upper Country as the western part of the Territory was called by the old timers.
During the fall of 1880 and early winter of 1881 various members of the party had brought in peculiar rock samples which they surmised was ore - there being only a few in camp that had had any experience in quartz mining or prospecting - Messrs.’ Anderson, Jones, Snow and Sage being about the only ones. The former two having had by far the most experience - never a day past when someone didn't bring a sample of one sort or another for them "to pass upon" - among the lot being some pieces of ore in which Dave Jones identified specks of a dark smoky color that he pronounced as being Black Sulphurets of Silver - a very rich silver mineral. Also with it were bromides and chlorides of the same metal. Some tests were made by placing pieces of the ore in an open fire of a blacksmith forge and were sufficient to prove the presence of silver that formed as beads on the ore due to heat generated melting the silver minerals. The same may be and was done with gold ores altho the more common method then and yet in many instances is to crush the ore very fine and pan. Gold is readily identified as such when present; silver, however, is not; hence the need of first applying a melting heat to the latter in order to gather the metal into a recognizable form. The ore above mentioned came from what is still known as the old Florence Mine situated on the very top of the peak called by that name - north easterly from Maiden approximately two miles. At about the same time, a Scotchman (name forgotten) discovered a very small rich seam of gold ore on Gold Hill and located a claim named the Maggie. One sample that he sent away for assay gave returns of nearly $75.00 per pound or $150,000.00 per ton. This is reputed to be the first gold ore found in place in the Judith Mountains.
Early spring of 1861 was the scene of much activity. Many quartz lode miring claims were located; sad to relate only a few regarded the locators or owners for their efforts.
COLLAR MINE: Discovered and located in the early spring of 1881 by C. C. Snow, Eugene Irvine, F. T. "Pony" McPartland, John R. Kemper, and Charlie H. Bessie, was first to claim the Limelight. This mine vas situated at the western end of and at the foot of Florence Peak; Mr. et al sold to a party of Omaha and St. Paul, Minnesota men who proceeded at once to develop the property viz by building roads and essential buildings to accommodate the crew, a mill which was the first in the Judith Mountains, and also doing much exploratory work in the mine. When all was ready, the milling of ore began - which proved an entire failure. The ores were not adapted to the type of mill that had been built and the values in the ore were almost entirely lost. Thus came to a sudden end a venture that had cost approximately $125,000.00, besides leaving debts of considerable amounts for wages, supplies, etc. which the backers of the venture were unable or unwilling to pay. A truly tragic event for the peoples of Maiden and vicinity, it being late fall there were but few of the many workers employed and not paid who had means to go elsewhere and look for work. Fortunately there were not many families with children. So acute became the situation that the Commander of the nearby post "Fort Maginnis" was prevailed upon and did issue rations to those most in dire distress. No worthwhile attempt was made thereafter to carry on development of the mine. There being no production records, it is impossible to say what it did produce - which at most was only a few thousand dollars.
FLORENCE MINE: Johnnie Kemper, et al, in 1884 shipped by bull team ten tons of hand sorted ore to Omaha, Nebraska - at that time, the nearest smelter - net returns on the shipment amounted to $10,000.00. In later years shipments were made to various other smelters, one lot via steamboat from Rocky Point on the Missouri River to New Orleans, thence to Swansea, Wales, which at that time was world renowned for its efficiency of ore reduction and smelting works. Gross production of the mine was approximately $100,000.00.
SPOTTED HORSE MINE: Located by "Skookum Jo" Andersen in the spring of 1881. A shaft was sunk thereafter by himself and partner Dave Jones disclosing sufficient ore to warrant the building of an Arrastra (a crude type of mill) with which to treat the ore - which paid well at first but later became a failure due, it was said, owing to friction between the partners; the one running the mine allowing waste rock to be mixed with the ore, while the other took no pains to properly grind and extract such values as were in the ore. Having gone in debt - particularly for lumber and timber from a nearby saw mill at Andersonville three miles below Maiden that was operated by H.W. McAdow and Ben Dexter - Anderson and Jones lost the Spotted Horse. Mr. McAdow acquired the property and developed it; bought the Collar Mill and Mine for a mere $1500.00 an amount that would not have been enough to pay the freight bill to get the equipment into the country - and moved it to the Spotted Horse which was less than two miles away. Then he really “went to town"! According to his own statement made in later years he made two million dollars out of the Spotted Horse Mine. Numerous other companies and individuals that later tried their luck there did not fare so well however - most of them winding up "in the red". Gross production of the mine may be variously estimated at between three and five million dollars.
KENTUCKY FAVORITE: Adjoins the Spotted Horse Mine on the north and is now a part of it. Gross production not exceeding $20,000.00; one Mr. Gardner being the principal beneficiary having made a profit of $10,000.00 during the winter of 1886-87 and following spring by hauling to and milling the ore on his ranch (now the Eglund ranch) approximately three miles west of Maiden.
MAGINNISS MINES: This property like many other in the district was first located by "Skookum Jo" Anderson in 1881. Five claims now comprise the group; viz. Oro Cache, Oro Cache Extension, Montana, Oro Cache Mill site and Holter Placer the latter being where gold was first discovered. Anderson tore down his original notice of quartz location and surrendered his rights to Johnnie Kemper et al who found a small outcrop of hi grade gold ore - two ton of which netted $3,000.00. More development followed exposing enough ore to interest the firm of Hauser and Holter, merchants and mining operators of Helena, Montana to invest in and build a ten stamp mill on the property in 1884 which operated at a profit for several years. The property when it began showing sins of depletion was taken over by one William Burgess, a cattleman, who as the saying goes "lost his shirt" on the venture. Later Mr. Burgess in trying to recoup his losses "jumped" or relocated the Florence Mine which one Dinny O'Brien claimed by a previous relocation, thus causing very bitter feelings not only between the rivals, but among the residents of the community. The climax came when O'Brien and some of his friends attempted by force of arms to oust Burgess from the mine where he was living: Having been warned by friends, Burgess as soon as he recognized O'Brien, shot and killed him instantly. Giving' himself up, he was tried and sentenced for a term in prison but was pardoned after serving a small portion of the sentence - the result of an almost statewide petition in his behalf. Thenceforth the Maginnis mine had numerous ups and downs - mostly the latter. A promoter named A. S. Wright tried his luck in 1900 and failed. Next - two local men, William Lackie and Al Primble, worked it on a lease or royalty basis with small success. Later, Dorn and Crabtree took a lease and option to purchase and worked the property a couple of years during which time considerable ore was mined, milled, and shipped - not enough though cover expenditures. Mr. Dorn is said to have lost $20,000.00 on the operation. In 1906 David Hilger and Bob McMillan of Lewistown took a lease on the mine but had little success. In 1908 Bob McMillan and Arza Noble of Lewistown got a lease on the mine but failed to make more than mere wages. In 1909, a partnership known as the Gold Reef Lease took a lease and option to purchase for a price of $60,000.00 on the mine and mill. This partnership consisted of Robert Turnbull, Tom Caldwell, Woodson Badger and Earl Cooper and later John McCormick. The lease holders at the suggestion of manager Turnbull turned over the job of surveying and sampling the mine to Wm. A. Young, a young mining engineer graduate of the Montana School of Mines. As a result of Young's examination being encouraging a small crew was put to work taking out shipping ore that proved satisfactory. However, as the better grades of ore were distinguished it became self' evident that it would require that the mill be overhauled and put in shape to handle the lower grades of ore, of which there as quite a tonnage in sight. Mr. McCormick volunteered to do this at his own expense for an equal 1/5 interest in the lease and this was accepted. Once the mill got going the available ores were soon exhausted and the mine was on the verge of closing down when a lucky strike was made; Young who was mine foreman upon the suggestion of a hobo miner name of Owen Murphy - had put to work rather than lay him off a miner Steve Shay on a tiny oxidized ivory streak which suddenly opened up into a sizeable ore body of almost unbelievable richness. Thenceforth, for a period of ten days the gluttonous maws of crusher and ten stamps feasted on ores averaging $1,156.00 per ton - a record such as few mines of the world have ever attained. As few really good things come in large packages, so with this exceptional ore body - it soon "petered out" leaving no signs of "from whence or to where"; the expiration of the option being near and a balance of $15,000.00 due, rather than pay this balance, which the leasors now having ample funds to do so and become the owners of the goose that laid for them The Golden Egg; they decided to forfeit the $45,000.00 already paid in on the option in royalties and take a new lease and option on the same terms as the original lease and option called for then proceeded to clean up such odds and ends of ore that were in sight. W. A. Young bought Earl Cooper's interest with hard earned money he had saved from his salary as mine foreman. Soon the mine was cleaned up to the satisfaction of all but Young who still had unbounded faith in the property - whose pleadings not to surrender the lease were in vain. Young lacked funds to carry on alone; in fact had not even gotten his money back that he had paid for the Cooper interest. The lease was given up. Turnbull and Caldwell bought a ranch near Piper and in a few years went broke; likewise, Cooper and Badger turned their attention and efforts to ranching and in a few years were broke or nearly so; John McCormick got a job from the Barnes-King Company of Kendall as superintendent of a mine operating at Marysville, Montana. W. A. Young also went to work for the Barnes-King at Kendall but not for long. Having some savings of his own together with the financial backing - although inadequate of some friends. He again tackled the Maginnis to no avail and was finally obliged to give up the battle in 1924 and leave the country to get work wherewith to support his wife and three children who had shared with him the many discomforts and disappointments that Fate had bestowed on them. Thereafter, a few small shipments of ore were made by leasees. Thus ends the Saga of the Maginnis Mine where still stands the remains of the old mill that has withstood the ravages of Time and witnessed the erection, dismantling or destruction of eighteen other mills - not including a smelter scattered throughout two thirds of the area covered by the Judith Mountains.
Land of bull pines and of gold where fond hopes of riches ne'er crow old, mid snow laden firs or sunny hillsides bare Lurks that feeling; Nay Nature have a Cache Right There!
Gross Production of the Maginnis Mine is approximately $1,000,000.00.
GILT EDGE MINE: Discovered in the latter 1880's by W. E. Wilson, better known as "Limestone Bill". The many ups and downs of this property and those that became involved in or dependent on it for a living would fill a book. The first small mill was erected in 1890 and was a total failure; the next built in 1892 or 3 was the second of its kind built in America using the cyanide process of extraction of gold from ore. The process then in its infancy was little understood; hence results did not come up to expectations; even so recoveries made were much better than could be done with any other process which eventually became the world's most used method for gold extraction. The property changed hands at least six times with new claims being added by the new owners and new titles or names given the various operations Gold Reef Mines being the last. Closed down in 1908. Taken over under lease by Robert Turnbull, W.W. Badger, Tom Caldwell and Earl Cooper. Gross production was slightly more than $5,000,000 from approximately one and a quarter million tons of ore mined.
WHISKEY GULCH and BIG SIX MINES: Located in the mid and late 1890's. A. S. Wright, promoter of the New Year Mine took over the Whiskey Gulch in 1900 or 1901. He interested some local and St. Paul capital; a mill was built in 1902; later the Big Six owned by Hank McEvony was acquired; both mines were successfully operated until 1906. Gross Production estimated around $300,000.00.
MCEVONY MINE: Located by Hank McEvony in 1899. Adjoins the Big Six on the west. A small mill was built by himself and son Leslie in the early 1920's. Owing to high mining costs and due to thinness of ore bodies and other disadvantages it was abandoned. Gross Production estimated at $2,500.00
MAMMOTH MINE: Discovered by Royal E. Matthews in 1896. In 1900 Richard W. Jones of Gilt Edge financed the building of a small mill which in a few months depleted all available ore. It was then closed down Gross Production estimated at $3,000.00.
GOLDEN EAGLE MINE: Located in the early 1880's by Jimmie Murphy. In 1909 a small mill was built with New York City money. Lack of ore obliged the property to close dam in 1910. Gross Production estimated at $2,000.00.
CUMBERLAND MINE: Discovered in 1881, names of first locators not known. Among the early day owners were Billy Allen, Judge Vandelburg. In 1899 was relocated by Peter Rosso and Jack Mansfield, who went to Alaska soon after and never was heard from since. In 1901, Mrs. N. Belanger - merchant queen of Fergus County - became interested and later Oscar "Spud" Stevens prominent stockman together with an official of the Milwaukee Railroad from Chicago acquired interests in the mine. Exploration work disclosed a large body of mill grade ore and some hi grade. A shipment of approximately 36 tons to Sand Point, Idaho netted over $7,000.00. In 1909 A. S. Wright got Jim Breen of Butte interested, who at once began erection of a mill that went into operation the following summer. Owing to a big cave in of the mine it was closed down. In 1911, E. B. Coolidge, Sam Whipple, Jack Drinvelle and Frank E. Bryant took over the property on a lease and option basis; worked it for several years with little success. In the fall of 1915, George H. Wieglenda, Al H. Sellers, Eugene Nelson, "Sapphire Jack Pamenter and Milo Skero took a lease and option on the property. Pamenter quit with two months; the ether four carried on and were quite successful until 1918. Ore reserves being depleted, the lease and option was surrendered. Gross Production of the Mine approximately $700,000.00.
TAIL HOLT MINE: Discovered in the early 1880’s by Thomas Kerr. The original name of the claim is unknown; was abandoned by him a few tears later. Thereafter was located and held by various parties and abandoned by them. In 1927 Al H. Sellers and George H. Wieglenda located the ground Sellers quit in 1929. In the meantime, J. H. McLean, Jr. had become interested. In the summer of 1930 Wieglenda and McLean built a road and started building a small mill and other necessary buildings on the ground. Milling of ore started in August 1931. Results were only partly satis¬factory owing to "pinching out" of ore bodies. The last attempt to operate was in 1934 - which did not pay out. Gross Production - approximately $20,000.00.
Thus ends the story - history - of the last mill built in the Judith Mountains - now torn down and the last attempt at mining and milling of gold ore in the District.

WIEGLENDA, G.H. 1950'S, PRIVATE PAPER, HISTORY OF MINING
IN MAIDEN AREA. COMPLIMENTS OF JERRY HANLEY 1981
Gold was discovered near the head of Warm Spring Creek during the summer of 1879 by
"Skookum Joe" Anderson, Dave Jones, and (Skookum means good in Crow Indian language).
The following winter a party of eleven including the discoverers named above, J. Frank Sage,
Charlie Bessie, F. T. "Pony" McPartlan, C. C. Snow, E. Irvine and three others was formed at
Junction City situated on the north bank of the Yellowstone River approximately 120 miles
distant and at that time a winter Rendezvous for hunters, trappers, prospectors, etc. Junction
City was then the principal gateway from the south for this portion of what was then Montana
Territory. In the latter part of January 1880 these men set out for "The New Eldorado in the
Judith Mountains" arriving there in mid-February. Deep snows obliged them to retreat to the
foothills to find feed and grass for their animals. A big chinook in late March made it possible to
return to the mountains and begin the quest for "Other Diggins". Soon most of the creeks and
gulches in the vicinity were being named and prospected for their placer gold content in the
gravels of the stream beds - few of which gave encouraging results; Alpine Gulch and tributaries
and Spotted Horse Gulch and two of its tributaries being the only exceptions. There
considerable exploration was carried on but only meager pay extracted. Thus collapsed the
fond hopes that the Judith's would rival such old camps as Virginia City (Alder Gulch), Helena
(Last Chance Gulch), Diamond City (Confederate Gulch) and others of the Upper Country as the
western part of the Territory was called by the old timers.
During the fall of 1880 and early winter of 1881 various members of the party had brought in
peculiar rock samples which they surmised was ore - there being only a few in camp that had
had any experience in quartz mining or prospecting - Messrs.' Anderson, Jones, Snow and Sage
being about the only ones. The former two having had by far the most experience - never a day
past when someone didn't bring a sample of one sort or another for them "to pass upon" ­among
the lot being some pieces of ore in which Dave Jones identified specks of a dark smoky
color that he pronounced as being Black Sulphurets of Silver - a very rich silver mineral. Also
with it were bromides and chlorides of the same metal. Some tests were made by placing
pieces of the ore in an open fire of a blacksmith forge and were sufficient to prove the presence
of silver that formed as beads on the ore due to heat generated melting the silver minerals. The
same may be and was done with gold ores altho the more common method then and yet in
many instances is to crush the ore very fine and pan. Gold is readily identified as such when
present; silver, however, is not; hence the need of first applying a melting heat to the latter in
order to gather the metal into a recognizable form. The ore above mentioned came from what
is still known as the old Florence Mine situated on the very top of the peak called by that name
- north easterly from Maiden approximately two miles. At about the same time, a Scotchman
(name forgotten) discovered a very small rich seam of gold ore on Gold Hill and located a claim
named the Maggie. One sample that he sent away for assay gave returns of nearly $75.00 per
pound or $150,000.00 per ton. This is reputed to be the first gold ore found in place in the
Judith Mountains.